Organic Arugula and Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts and Feta Cheese – earthboundfarm

Organic Arugula and Roasted Beet Salad with Walnuts and Feta Cheese

Servings: 4

| Active Time: 30 minutes

| Total Time: 30 minutes

This salad showcases the vibrant colors and concentrated earthy sweetness of roasted beets together with fresh organic baby greens and the delightful contrasts of fruit, cheese and nuts — a combination sure to leave you wanting more!

Here on the Central Coast of California, we’re lucky to have perfect conditions for baby beets to thrive year-round; but don’t worry if you can’t find baby beets, larger ones will do just fine.

Blood oranges are spectacular in this salad, but if they’re not available, don’t hesitate to make it with any oranges you like. The sweet acidity of the oranges sets up a delicious contrast with smooth white feta and crunchy nuts. This recipe is flexible enough to make great use of what you have on hand; fresh goat cheese works as nicely as the feta, and you can easily substitute organic spring mix for the organic arugula.


Ingredients

SALAD:

1 pound roasted beets

5 ounce Earthbound Farm Organic Baby Arugula

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup candied or toasted walnuts

2 blood oranges or navel oranges

ORANGE WALNUT VINAIGRETTE:

1/2 cup good-quality roasted walnut oil

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon orange or blood orange juice

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

5 tablespoon sherry vinegar

2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon finely minced shallots

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper


Directions

To make the salad:

Cut the beets in half or quarters (if you’re using larger beets, cut into 1/2-inch dice) so they’re bite size. Place the beets in a small bowl, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and toss until the beets are coated. (This step can be done a day in advance, if desired.)

To make the vinaigrette:

To make the vinaigrette, place the roasted walnut oil and all the dressing ingredients from there to the end of the list in a glass jar and close the lid tightly. Shake vigorously to combine. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Allow the dressing to sit at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop before serving. (This recipe will make about 1-1/4 cups of dressing; you’ll use about 1/3 cup for the salad, or more to taste. Store any leftover vinaigrette in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for up to 1 month.)

Just before serving, place the organic arugula or organic spring mix in a large salad bowl. Add about 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette. Toss to coat the leaves lightly, then taste and add more vinaigrette if needed.

Transfer the organic arugula to a platter or individual salad plates. Arrange the beets and orange segments on the greens and sprinkle them with the feta and nuts. Serve immediately.